Farmington Man Fatally Stabbed On Bike Trip In Florida

Kevin Adorno Was Headed To Miami To Propose To Girlfriend

Police say they found Kevin Adorno of Unionville lying on the floor of a McDonald's… (Vero Beach Police Department )

September 02, 2014|By NICHOLAS RONDINONE, nrondinone@courant.com

A Farmington man who was biking from Maryland to Miami, where he planned to proposed to his girlfriend, was stabbed to death on Monday night by a homeless man outside a McDonald's restaurant in Vero Beach, Fla., local police said Tuesday.

Kevin Adorno, 28, of the Unionville section of Farmington, suffered stab wounds to his chest and arms after an unprovoked attack, Vero Beach police said. He was taken to Indian River Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Police responded to the McDonald's on U.S. 1 about 9:30 p.m. following reports from a 911 caller that a customer had been stabbed. Adorno was found lying on the floor of the restaurant's bathroom.

Rene Herrera Cruz, 59, the man police say stabbed Adorno, was arrested across the street at a Burger King by Vero Beach police and the local sheriff's department. He was charged with first-degree murder, police said.

Witnesses told police they saw Adorno bike up to the McDonald's and enter the restaurant. He was later seen stepping outside the restaurant before the stabbing happened, according to the arrest affidavit for Cruz.

Witnesses told police that Adorno was outside when he was stabbed but came inside after the attack. He collapsed and they attempted to help him, according to the arrest affidavit.

One witness told police that he felt as though his hand was on Adorno's heart because of the severity of the stab wound.

Police spoke to Adorno's girlfriend, who said she was on the phone with him when the attack happened. She said she never heard any argument. The last thing she reported hearing was the phone drop, according to the arrest affidavit.

Cruz told police that he had spent a lot of time at the McDonald's after coming up to the area from Miami, according to the arrest affidavit. Cruz said he was concerned about people watching him at the McDonald's, including a customer inside the restaurant.

Cruz told police he'd never met Adorno and the two hadn't exchanged any words before the stabbing, according to the arrest affidavit. Cruz told police the reason for the attack was that Adorno was "directing the people to go after him."

Cruz said he took the knife from his waistband when someone began walking toward him, according to the arrest affidavit. After taking out the knife, the person saw it and ran and Cruz said he stabbed Adorno.

After stabbing Adorno, Cruz went across the street to the Burger King where he discarded the knife and his shirt in the garbage, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police said that Adorno was biking from Maryland to Miami. He was set to propose to his girlfriend when he got to Miami.